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Australian tennis’s most bitter feud reignites when Mark Woodforde discusses the fallout with iconic doubles partner Todd Woodbridge, admitting their dispute is “really hurtful”.
- Mark Woodforde criticizes his former doubles partner Todd Woodbridge
- Woodforde says their fractured relationship is ‘really hurtful’
- Woodforde says he would like to mend the broken friendship
Former tennis star Mark Woodforde has opened up about his broken relationship with former doubles partner Todd Woodbridge, admitting their fight is “really painful”.
The iconic ‘Woodies’ dominated the tennis court for over a decade after they teamed up in 1990 and won 11 tennis Grand Slam doubles titles, 61 ATP doubles tournaments and received a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 2000.
Sadly though, Australia’s greatest tennis duo is no longer on speaking terms.
Former tennis star Mark Woodforde (left) has opened up about his fractured relationship with former doubles partner Todd Woodbridge, admitting their fight is “really painful”.
The iconic ‘Woodies’ dominated the tennis court for over a decade after they teamed up in 1990 and won 11 tennis Grand Slam doubles titles, 61 ATP doubles tournaments and received a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 2000.
Wooforde, 57, says a broken friendship is something he’d like to mend because it “absolutely cuts it.”
“We don’t have much to talk about these days,” he told Mark Soderstrom on The Soda Room podcast.
“I would love to be able to play more Legends events together, but he’s in a position… that’s where he’s at right now.
“For someone you can trust for so many years and have fun with, succeed and enjoy, being at this stage now, it’s really painful, I’m still the same person.”
Wooforde (pictured winning an Olympic medal with Woodbridge in 2000) says the broken friendship is something he’d like to mend because it ‘absolutely cuts’ it.
Woodforde, who lives in California, revealed in 2020 that he felt betrayed when Woodbridge decided to play Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman on the legends tour instead of him.
‘It’s probably one of the biggest dilemmas right now. I wish Todd and I were in a better place,” Woodforde said on the Break Point podcast.
Woodforde retired from tennis in 2000 and Woodbridge teamed up with Bjorkman, where they found further success on the court, winning a further five Grand Slams.
He said that their success was nowhere near the same level as The Woodies.
“I guess The Woodies has taken a backseat to him and he’s developing his own brand,” Woodforde said.
Woodforde retired from tennis in 2000 and Woodbridge teamed up with Bjorkman, where they found further success on the court, winning a further five Grand Slams.
“So it’s disappointing for me, I still play the legends events so it’s a little hard to show up and we’re not playing together.”
However, Woodbridge has always maintained that he is still close to Woodforde, insisting that the couple still spoke to each other and were very close despite living in different countries.
“We are good friends and what we have achieved together is very special,” Woodbridge told the Herald Sun in 2020.
We don’t work together much or spend a lot of time together. We are very different characters and we live in different countries these days.’
However, Woodbridge (pictured at the Australian Tennis Awards 2022) has always maintained that he is still close to Woodforde, insisting that the pair still spoke to each other and were very close despite living in different countries.
Woodbridge said the couple would always be close because they created an iconic Australian sports association.
“When you can make it into the Australian vernacular like ‘The Woodies’, well then I think you’ve done something pretty incredible,” he said.